Tray type collapsible carton



Nov. 28, 1950 c. H. GOODYEAR 2,531,507

TRAY TYPE COLLAPSIBLE CARTON Filed Nov. 13, 1948 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 INVENTOR. T 0H4 RLES H. GOODYEAR ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1950 c. H. GOODYEAR TRAY TYPE COLLAPSIBLE CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13, 1948 7 M /F i z i 1HM HHHHHHM s 0 Kaitlin!!! c n n m M m FM r I n I INVENTOR.

m w 0 0 0 6 H 5 E L R A H C ATTORNEY Patented Nov. as, 1950 OFFICE TRAY ml! OOLL APSIBLE CARTQN Ghlrlesrll. Goodyear, Stockton, Calif designer to Fibrebol'l'll Products Oalif., a corporation of Application November 18, 1948, Serial No. 59,887 2 Claims. (Qi. 229-88) My invention relates to a tray type carton having a tray part, and a cover part hingedly connected to the tray part, and more particularly to a collapsible carton of this type formed from a single blank of suitable material such as paperboard, or the like.

Cartons of the type described are frequently employed in the packaging of frozen foods and other food products, and are so constructed as to permit shipment thereof in collapsed fiat package form. In filling the carton, it is first set-up from the collapsed state, filled with the product,'and then a so-called overwrap of suitable material such as giassine or cellophane is generally provided over the carton. The construction of the carton is such as to enable assembly thereof in collapsed form by automatic machinery common in the industry.

After the set-up carton is filled with product and the cover part is closed over the tray part, it

is most important that the cover part remain closed so that. when entering the overwrapping machine, additional hand labor need not be required to hold the cover part closed. Also, it is important that when the tray part of the carton is set up from collapsed form, its construction be such as to hold the tray walls in fixed upright position to obviate their collapse during the filling. Otherwise, the filling operation may be im- D ded.

My invention has as its objects, among'others, the provision in a carton of the type described of improved means for locking the cover part to the tray part after the. carton is filled, which will positively hold the cover part in position thus obviating the necessity of additional hand labor to hold the cover part closed during the above described machine overwrapping operation, and also the provision of an improved carton construction whereby the tray walls of the carton will remain in fixed upright position when they are set up. Other objects of my invention will become apparent from a perusal of the following description thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. i is a plan view'oi a one piece paperboard blank from which the carton of my invention is formed: the view being of the inside surfaces of the carton forming walls and panels:

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the partially set up carton; I

Fig. Sisanisomctrievievvofthecartoninpartially collapsed form:

m. 4 isa. plan view of the fully collapsed cartcnJOokingin thedirection ol'lrrow Hill!!- 3;

Inc.. San Francisco,

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the completely set up carton, with the cover partopen and the carton ready to be filled;

' Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the fully set up carton with the cover part partially closed; portions of the front wall of the cover part being broken away to illustrate more clearly the construction;

' Fig. 7 isan isometric view of the fully closed carton with a portion of the cover part broken away to illustrate the locking means between the cover part and the traypart;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in a plane indicated by line 8-8 in Fig. '7.

With reference to Fig. 5, the carton comprises a tray part T. having a bottom wall B rectangular in shape, a front wall F, a rear wall R, and opposite side walls 8: the walls F, R and 5 all being of the same height. Hingedly connected to the upper edge of rear wall R is a cover part C which comprises a top cover wall 0' of substantially the same shape and area as bottom tray wall B, a

front cover wall 1*" of substantially the same size and shape as front tray wall F and which is adapted to overlie such front tray wall F when the carton is closed. and opposite side cover walls 8' each of substantially the same size and shape as the associated side tray wall 8, and which are adapted to overlie the respective side walls 8 of the tray part when the cover part is closed. As can be observed from Fig. '7, the hinge connection between the tray part 'I' and the cover part 0 enables the cover part to envelope completely the tray part when the cover part is completely j closed.

As previously related. Fig. 5 illustrates the position of the carton when it is adapted to be filled; and to insure positive locking of the cover part to the tray part after it is filled, so as to obviate additional hand labor which would be otherwise required to hold the cover part closed for the store-mentioned machine overwrapping operation, l provide a special form of positive tongue and slot locking means between the cover part and the tray part. For this p rpose. a locking flap 2 is hingedly connected to the lower edge I of the front cover wall F. Such hinged connection is formed by a score line at such lower edge I; and. preferably, the locking flap 2 is otherwise unsecured to front cover wallF'. As a result, when such locking flap 2 is folded inwardly of the front cover wall 1'" so that it may pro'iect upwardly between such front cover wall and the front tray wall I, when the cover part is closed,

it will have a tendency by virtue of the resiliency I of the mat -erial to thrust inwardly from the front cover wall F toward the front tray wall F.

Rigid with and extending from the upper edge of locking flap 2 substantially midway thereof is a relatively narrow locking tongue 4 which is adapted to enter an elongated opening 6 in the front tray wall F. Such locking opening 6 is located midway of front tray wall F and is substantially wider than the width of locking tongue 4, so as to enhance entrance of the tongue into the opening without interference. The lower edge I of opening 6 is substantially parallel to upper edge 8 of the opening, and such upper edge 8 of opening 6 is a greater distance from the bottom of the carton, or in other words, the lower edge of front tray wall F, than the upper edge 9 of the locking tongue is from the lower edge 3 of front cover wall F of the cover part. Hence, when the cover part is moved down to its fully closed position asillustrated in Fig. '7, u per edge 9 of tongue 4 will lie between the parallel edges 1 and 8 of opening 6, and entrance of locking tongue 4 into the locking opening 6 will be facilitated upon slight upward movement of the cover part, to

"thus provide an efficaceous positive tongue and slot look, as is shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 illustrates the locking effect which obtains, by virtue of the described tongue and slot arrangement and the tendency of locking flap 2 to spring inwardly, when the cover part C is moved slightly upwardly after the cover part is fully closed. This causes tongue 4 to interlock in opening 6 and engage positively the rear surface of wall F directly above the upper edge 8 of such opening; and such positive lock will be enhanced by the pressure of the contents against the walls of the closed carton. Thus, in preparation for the previously described overwrapping operation, the cover part will remain securely locked. In the overwrapping operation, the cover part may become fully depressed. However, even though locking tongue 4 may become disengaged from behind the upper edge 8 of locking opening 6 when the carton is completely overwrapped, this is immaterial as the overwrap will hold the cover part fully closed over the tray part, until the carton is opened by the consumer. Opening of the carton. can be readily effected by removing the overwrap and depressing the cover part to disengage the tongue from behind the upper opening edge 8.

With respect to siftable products which may be packed in the carton, it may be desirable to cover locking opening 6 to preclude sifting of material therethrough. For such type of product, a closure flap ll may be hingedly connected to and foldable inwardly of the upper scored edge 12 of front tray wall F, so as to project downwardly and cover such opening. Closure flap ii will not interfere with the described locking operation. Not only does the closure flap ii serve the purpose previously described but it also serves to hold the carton side walls in upright position when set up, since such flap l I is substantially but slightly less than the width of the front tray wall of the carton. The described locking means may be embodied in any carton of the type described in which the wall structures may be formed by any suitable arrangement. However, I have found it to be particularly advantageous with a special form of carton blank which will now be described.

Such blank is illustrated in Fig. 1 in which the portion thereof which forms the tray part is bracketed and designated by the reference letter 4 T, and the portion which forms the cover part is also bracketed and designated by "reference letter C. The blank is generally rectangular in shapeand has a pair of spacd longitudinally extending parallel score lines l3. Extending transversely between such scorelines i3, and between the previously described score lines 3 and I2 and parallel there to are spaced parallel score lines I4. All the score lines are formed inthe side of the blank which forms the inside surfaces of the carton to facilitate inward folding of the parts. Cut portions it extend from the ends of score lines I. and are of the shape illustrated in Fig. 1 to facilitate assembly or folding of the carton from the blank.

The relative spacing of the score lines and the cut portions, is such as to divide the blank (in the order reading from left to right in Fig. 1) into a single panel which forms the previously described front tray wall F, which has hingedly connected thereto at each side edge thereof a side tray wall side edgessingle panels 2| forming part of the side cover walls; and a fifth single panel which forms the front cover wall F having at its opposite side edges hinged side cover wall connecting flaps 22. The previously described closure flap II is hingedly connected at score line l2 while the previously described locking flap 2 is hingedly connected at score line 3.

Each side tray wall 8 is formed of a side tray wall panel l8, an associated connecting flap H at the front edge of panel [8 but unattached thereto, and an associated connecting flap it at the rear edge of panel i8 and also unattached thereto. Each panel l8 and the associated pair of connecting flaps l1 and is are adapted to be adhesively secured together; and to provide for adhesive attachment of the connecting flaps I1 and I9 to such associated side tray wall panel it, each of such connecting flaps is formed with 9.

- score line 23 extending diagonally across the flap side faces being indicated by the stipling on the blank of Fig. 1. As a result of the described construction, the tray part, when its parts are adhesively secured, may be folded flat as is indicated by Figs. 3 and 4. When fully set up, each side tray wall panel i8 will extend the entirelength and form the entire inside surface of the assembled side tray wall, to thus provide for rigid support of such wall when the tray part is fully set up, as can be seen from Figs. 2 and5. This is an important feature in facilitating filling of the set-up carton.

Each side cover wall 8' is formed of a side cover wall panel 2| :and an associated side cover wail connectin an a he nle ed es but .with a score line 24 extending diagonally across the flap from a corner of the top cover wall C. thus dividing the connecting flap into two substantlallytriangular sections. The outside face of the triangular section of each connecting flap 21 adjacent the associated side cover wall panel If is adapted to be adhesively secured to the outside face of such side cover wall panel, as is indicated by the stipling in Fig. 1. Consequently, the. side walls 8' of the cover part may be formed readily by the described adhesive union; and because of the diagonal score lines 24, the cover part C may be collapsed as is indicated in Fig. 2, and may be readily set-up by pulling the side cover wall panels 2| apart to the position shown in P18. '5.

1. A carton of the collapsible type adapted to be set up from a single blank of material comprising a tray part having a bottom tray wall, a

front tray wall, a rear tray wall and opposite side tray walls; a cover part having a top cover wall hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear tray wall, a front cover wall adapted to overlie the front tray wall and opposite side cover walls adapted to overlie the respective side tray wells: the front and the rear tray walls each consisting of a panel hingedly connected to the bottom tray wall; each of said side tray walls consist-v ing of a side tray wall panel hingedly connected to a side edge of said bottom tray wall and a pair 86 of connecting flaps adapted to be adhesively secured to such side tray wall panel, one of said connecting flaps being hingedly connected to a side edge of the rear tray wall panel and being unattached to the rear edge of the associated side tray wall panel, and the other of said connecting flaps being hingedly connected to a side edge of the front tray wall panel and being unattached to the front edge of the associated side tray wall panel, each of said connecting flaps having a score line extending diagonally across the flap from a corner of the bottom tray wall which divides the connecting flap into two substantially triangular sections, the outside face of each triangular section adjacent the associated 60 side tray wall panel being adapted to be adhesively secured to the outside face of such associated side tray wall panel; means for locking said cover part to said tray part comprising a locking flap hingedly connected to the lower edge of said front cover wall and foldable inwardly of said front cover wall so as to project upwardly between said front cover wall and said front tray wall when the cover part is closed, said front tray wall having a horizontally extending elongated opening for engaging said locking flap; and a flap hingedly connected to and foldable inwardly from the upper edge of the front tray wall so as to project downwardly and cover said opening, said latter flap being substantially but slightly less than the width of said front tray wall to engage said side tray walls adjacent said front connecting iiaps when set up to hold said side tray walls in position.

2. A carton of the collapsible type adapted to 5 be set up from a single blank of material comprising a tray part having a bottom tray wall,

a front tray "wall, a rear tray wall and opposite side tra'y walls, a cover part having a top cover wall hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear tray wall, a front cover wall adapted to overlie the front tray wall and opposite side cover wallsadapted to. overlie the respective side tray walls; the front and the rear tray walls each consisting of a panel hingedly connected to the bottom tray wall; each of said side tray walls including a side tray wall panel hingedly connected to a side edge of said bottom tray wall, and a connecting flap adapted to be adhesively secured to such side tray wall panel, said connecting flap being hingedly connected to a side edge of the front tray wall panel and being adjacent wall being hingedly connected to the rear tray wall panel, said connecting flap also having a score line extending diagonally across the flap from a front corner of the bottom tray wall which divides the connecting nap into two substantially triangular sections, the outside face of each triangular section adjacent the associated side tray wall panel being adapted to be adhesively secured to the outside face of such associated side tray wall panel; the rear part of each side tray wall being hingedly connected to the rear tray wall panel and each side tray wall having a scored portion along a line extending angularly from a rear corner of the bottom tray wall to the top of the side tray wall; means for locking said cover part to said tray part comprising a locking flap hingedly connected to the lower edge of said front cover wall and foldable inwardly of said front cover wall so as to project upwardly between said front cover wall and said front tray wall when the cover part is closed, said front tray wall having a horizontally extending elongated opening for engaging said locking flap and a flap hingedly connected to and foldable inwardly from the upper edge of the front tray wall so as to pro ject downwardly and cover said opening. said latter flap .being substantially but slightly less than the width of said front tray wall to engage said side tray walls adjacent said front connecting flaps when set up to hold said side tray walls in position.

A CHARLES H. GOODYEAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTB Number Name Date 1,926,366 Bergstein Sept. 12, 1933 1,980,667 Daley Nov. 13, 1934 2,016,754 Perkit Oct. 8, 1935 2,160,643 Burel May 30, 1939 2,373,977 Scherer r Apr. 1'1, 1945 2,456,841 Rushing Dec. 21, 1948 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,531,507 November 28, 1950 CHARLES H. GOODYEAR It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: 7

Column 6, line 22, strike out the words wall being hingedly connected to theZ rear tray wall and insert instead the front edge of the associated side tray 'wfl l I and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the recordiof the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of January, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oomz'ssz'mr of Patents. 

